Teens released from police custody

Deceased Tabatha Richards

Three teenagers were released on Monday, seven days after being arrested in connection with the stabbing murder of 44-year-old Tabatha Richards and an attack on Richards’ daughter during a heated argument over a man.

The three were released after attorneys filed a writ of Habeas Corpus in the High Courts, petitioning a judge to compel the police to explain the continued detention without charge, of the youthful suspects.

When officers could give no reason in law for the detention, the judge ordered the three to be immediately released.

The first thing the female 17-year-old prime suspect in the murder did on being released was to accompany her relatives to church to pray.

The teen’s mother told Newsday that her child, who is a Christian, asked to go to church immediately on her release from police custody.

Two Mondays ago, Richards was stabbed to death and her daughter seriously wounded during a fracas.

A video recording of the stabbing which took place in front a house in Sixth Avenue, Malick was uploaded to social media and quickly went viral. The prime suspect’s mother yesterday claimed it was her daughter who was attacked by Richards and other adult women.

“It was three grown women who pulled my daughter out of her home to beat her up. When you see a gang coming to attack you, won’t you defend yourself and fight for your life? None of my children had any weapon at the time,” said the suspect’s mother yesterday.

Richards’ daughter has since been discharged from hospital after spending several days in intensive care recovering from multiple stab wounds.